Chalkboard Signs

Tom105 by Tom105
Last updated: 02/09/2011

Chalkboard Signs In Business Today

A chalkboard goes back to the first organized school classroom. Probably, several 100's of years ago. Before that, they used a charcoal stick and wrote on any flat surface available. The problem being, charcoal doesn't erase, so a new writing surface was required very often. Before they needed a chalkboard, somebody had to invent chalk for the board. It was discovered crushed up limestone produced a white powder that could be compressed into a soft white stick that would make a white line as opposed to the black line that a charcoal stick left. The best part was that it erased off of a smooth stone surface. Then some bright fellow cut thin slabs of slate rock, polished it and the chalkboard was born. Chalk writing on a slate board was the mainstay in the classroom for many years, and even the business world realized they could advertise on a chalkboard, regularly changing their advertising message. Eventually, the old slate chalkboard went the way of the dinosaur, making room for new inventions, such as whiteboards using colorful dry erase markers. Now, if you can find an old slate chalkboard discarded by a school, you have a very valuable antique. The chalkboard has made a real comeback in recent years because of the their nostalgic look that radiates a warm and cozy feeling. Grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurant, in particular, seem to like the chalkboard, cracker barrel type motif. Of course, the chalk isn't compressed limestone and the chalkboard is rarely slate. Most of today's chalkboards are either a melamine laminate or textured acrylic because they are light weight and durable. The chalk is now a liquid chalk in a marker pen, so the chalk and the boards have survived, but like everything else, they have been modernized for efficiency.
For More Information On Chalkboards Check Here!

How Clean Liquid Chalk From Chalkboards

Chalkboard Paint Has It's Problems

ChalkboardAll types of marker boards require periodic maintenance. Neoplex liquid chalk markers have a much higher pigment content than other chalk markers to accomplish the brighter more vivid colors that are desirable in sign making and have made the NEOMarkers one of the most popular brands in America. The less pigment content, the less vibrant the colors, but the clean up is easier. That is the tradeoff.

As I said, more pigment produces much more vibrant, rich colors, but a little more difficulty in clean up. All of these type markers are termed a "wet erase" marker, but for the best results use a clean rag or paper towel with a squirt of our chalkboard cleaner and this does the major part of the clean up (simple Windex does ok). For a stubborn spot or residue "shadow", use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge. To get the most mileage out of the sponge, only use them after the initial cleaning with the cloth and cleaner. Using the sponge from start to finish will only saturate the sponge with ink in a short time, so do the initial cleanup with the paper towel or cloth. The good news is that they are inexpensive, roughly $3 a four pack at Wal-Mart, Target, etc. That should do the trick!

Painted on chalkboard finishes can be a challenge in a small percentage of the time. We have done lots of testing, lots of questioning the folks that have had problems and we can not come up with a definitive answer as to a brand of paint that we can recommend or condemn. This only leaves the application process.

Most manufacturers have very detailed step by step instructions for application, which leads us to
the school of thought, those instructions need to be followed to the letter to insure a surface that is not porous that permits the liquid chalk to soak into the paint. It is always advisable to test the markers in an out of the way corner to determine any cleaning problems with painted surfaces.

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